FRIDAY 14 JUNE D DAY!
After months of intricate planning and anticipation, the day everyone has looked forward to for so very long has eventually dawned! All are eager to embark on this great adventure to Italy & France and there was great excitement as 30 girls, accompanied by an array of family members, gathered at OR Tambo this afternoon. I have just spoken to the chaperones who confirmed that check-in went smoothly, with no problems being encountered at emigration and all were safely through to ‘the other side’! They are scheduled to depart at 18h50 and will fly via Paris to Venice, where they will be warmly greeted by their local guide. I will update the website as soon as I have heard from the chaperones, but please rest assured that all arrangements are firmly in place and a wonderfully enriching tour awaits your daughters. A reminder that daily entries will be posted and photos will be loaded on a Facebook page linked to this website. If you are a member of Facebook, then follow the link below and click ‘LIKE’ to receive updates https://www.facebook.com/Personal-Touch-Schooltours-PHSG-Art-2019-351823835474437/ B uon viaggio/bon voyage!
SATURDAY 15 JUNE SAFE ARRIVAL IN VENICE!
Bonjour a Paris! Early this morning I received news and photos to confirm their safe arrival and all seemed to be in good spirits, very excited for all that lies ahead! With no hitches at passport control, all made their way to the boarding gates for Venice and at 11h15 they arrived at Marco Polo airport. Here they met with their local guide, who accompanied them on their private coach to Tronchetto, from where they continued by boat to the Hotel Messner on Venice Island. Some were able to do early check-in, which was wonderful and everyone was able to freshen up before heading off by vaporetto to the historical, former military district of Arsenale, where the famous 58th Biennale festival is taking place. They spent quality time here until 18h00 and then their guide escorted them to the gondoliers on the Grand Canal, where they all thoroughly enjoyed a romantic gondola ride, passing under the the Bridge of Sighs and the famous white marble Rialto Bridge. Finally, at the end of a very long day, they enjoyed dinner in a local restaurant close to St Marks’s Square, before returning to the hotel for a good night’s rest! PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES! "We had a long flight filled with little sleep, probably due to excitement and some travel jitters. Lara, Emma, Nicole, Klara and Meghan were very excited to find that Air France does midnight 'help yourself' snacks, will Klara prouncing this great! Got to Venice, much excitement ensued due to being on their first ever water taxi, many photos were taken with the beautiful views of Venice and the magical architecture littering the background. Got to our hotel for a quick change to get into the mood of escaping winter and starting the summer vacay. Saw amazing modern art at the Arsenale and then headed to dinner for a lovely meal."
SUNDAY 16 JUNE BIENNALE + ST MARK'S SQUARE + DOGES' PALACE
All had a good night’s rest and awoke refreshed, ready to embrace all that the day had in store! After breakfast they took the vaporetto to Venice Giardini, where they enjoyed the morning at the Biennale Festival. In the after noon they met with their local guide, who escorted them to St Mark’s Square, which Napoleon once called “the finest drawing room in all Europe” with its stunning architecture and lively atmosphere. They then explored the interior of the fascinating St Mark’s Basilica with its 11th century mosaics, before ascending to the roof terrace to see the bronze horses and enjoy a panoramic view over Venice. Thereafter they made their way to the Doge’s Palace, built in the Venetian gothic style and famous for its frescoed walls, gilded ceilings and intricately carved statues and friezes. In the Doges' opulent apartments there are paintings by the likes of Veronese, Titian, and Tintoretto. They all then welcomed some free time to shop and buy souvenirs, before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant close to the square. They have all throughly enjoyed their time in Venice and will be sad to say arrivederci to this magical city tomorrow, as they continue on towards Florence. PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: "The morning started with a real Italia breakfast, the ladies were spoilt with a large variety cheeses as well as jam tarts and even chocolate cake. At the Bianale Giardini we experienced some ground-breaking experimental art. Rachel participated in an interactive installation from Slovakia about social injustices where you had to be a pacient patient. They are doing so well with the Vapareto, after one day they knew exactly how the transport system worked, 101 Venice training. Klara, Atiyeh, Olencia met and chatted and to a local artist about his beautiful watercolour paintings in one of the alleys while having some free time this morning. After the Biennale we headed to St. Marks square to explore the Doge' s palace with its rich history, built between 1520 and 1540 . when the girls got to the 2nd storey they were amazed by the beautiful Terasso floor , made in many layers which they were told sometimes vibrates of course they all stomped their feet ever so slightly to check... We walked over the Bridge of Sighs where the prisoners were kept and we saw graffiti that the prisoners made using the smoke from candles. Next we climbed the 45 steps stairs up to the Basillica to get a view of magical Venice, after that went to the famous Rialto bridge. Amu, Mapeseka, Kwena, Oratile went to foot lockers....so so nice. The friendly Shop assistant told them it's her birthday, so they treated her to a true African birthday song singing ever so loudly but when it got to counting out the age which was 25 they opted to stop at 20! 25 is just so old! While shopping for hoodies Emma, Lara, and helped a male tourist to pick out a hoodie for his 17 year old sister. He thought they were from England. They quickly informed him that they were from Pretoria in SA. Then Lara added in a quick lesson about Pretoria being the capital of South Africa' a true ambassador. Dinner at Rossopomodoro was delicious ending off with a delicate pannacota. We used the Vaparetto to get back to our hotel, first sitting on the stairs of a church close by to take in the beautiful evening atmosphere."
MONDAY 17 JUNE - PADUA TO FLORENCE
How quickly their time has passed in Venice and this morning their guide escorted the group to their coach bound for Florence. En route they spent time in Padua, where a local guide was waiting to greet them and accompany the group around this historic city. They visited the Scrovegni Chapel, where they saw some wonderful renaissance frescoes, but those of the 13th century artist, Giotti hold pride of place. Thereafter they visited the Orto Botanico, a botanical garden which dates back to the 16th century, before strolling through the Prato della Valle, an elliptical piazza and one of the grandest in Italy. They then continued on to Florence, dubbed the ‘Jewel of the Renaissance’, arriving in the early evening and they were able to explore locally, before enjoying a dinner in a restaurant close to the hotel. PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: "The day started off with a lovely breakfast out in the courtyard of the hotel. A quick transfer by bus to Padua, a very quiet town, still untouched by the masses of tourist and the university was established in 1220. Then we went to the Scrovegni Chapel, originally a private chapel which is well preserved and is now owned by the state. We saw the early Renaissance art of Giotto in vibrant colours and the girls enjoyed and absorbed everything the guide told them. We went to St. Anthoy’s Basillica where we were given special treatment to be allowed to sit right next to the pulpit with Donatello’s crucifixion opposite St. Anthony’s tomb. After this we grabbed a quick lunch of pizza and gelato before getting back on to the bus to make our way to Florence. We checked into our hotel, which has an ideal location - 100 metres from Giotto’s tower! We were treated to a lovely dinner right on the square and then a moment for a photo shoot opportunity, which all loved!"
TUESDAY 18 JUNE A SPECTACULAR DAY IN FLORENCE!
The planned itinerary for today unfortunately had to be tweaked, as the Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli passed away suddenly on Saturday and his funeral was held this morning in the Duomo...bad timing indeed! Understandably no public entrance was permitted to the Cathedral and hopefully they will have a good perspective of the interior tomorrow morning when they ascend to the Cupola. Be that a sit may, they were delighted to be able to visit the Baptistry of St John, the small octagonal basilica situated opposite the Duomo, whose bronze doors were deemed by Michelangelo to be the ‘Gates of Paradise’. Thereafter, the group made their way to the Uffizi Museum, where all thoroughly enjoyed their guided visit to the most famous gallery in Florence,marvelling at the incredible collection of paintings by Bellini, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. They were then afforded some free time to wander through this enchanting city, visiting the Ponte Vecchio, one of Florence’s most iconic symbols dating back to 1345. They strolled through the Piazza della Signoria, browsing around the Mercato Nuovo, famous for its leather goods & handcrafted articles and all enjoyed a ‘gelato’ at one of the many fashionable cafes. Before dinner at a local restaurant they visited the Accademia Museum, famous for the magnificent giant marble sculptures created by Michelangelo, with the glorious David standing in a position of prominence at the end of a long gallery. What a glorious day in this wonderful city! PS UPDATE FROM THECHAPERONES: "We started the day with a wonderful breakfast that included yummy chocolate croissants! After this we were guided to the Baptistry to view the amazing mosaics that cover the inside of the dome which took 100 years to complete and here the girls learnt a lot about Byzantine art. We then moved on to the Uffizi Museum and the girls were very excited to see Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ and Da Vinci’s ‘Annunciation’, as well as Michaelangelo’s ‘Holy family’ and the many beautiful Roman sculptures. After this we went to the Duomo Museum and viewed all the original works of art that made up the interior and façade of the Duomo Basilica. Here the girls got a clearer understanding of the construction of the Dome after looking at a fascinating video and some models. Then it was time for a quick lunch of pizza and gelato before shopping at the leather market and the surrounds. When we re-grouped the girls were very excited to show us all the beautiful items they had bought and we were able to make a quick pit stop at our very conveniently situated hotel to drop off all the shopping bags! We then made oouor way to the Accademia to see ‘David’ and everyone was delighted to see the world famous colossal statue by Michelangelo. Dinner was once again absolutely scrumptious, topped off with a rich chocolate torte. We have now sent an exhausted and very excited group of girls off to bed and we are all looking forward to climbing the Cupola tomorrow – all 463 stairs!"
WEDNESDAY 19 JUNE FLORENCE - PISA - LA SPEZIA, ON THE ITALIAN RIVIERA!
They were really sad to say farewell to beautiful Florence, but before they did, they were given the opportunity to ascend the 463 steps to the Duomo Cupola. This was an incredible experience, with Giorgio Vasari's frescoes of the Last Judgement filling them with awe and from the summit they were afforded a spectacular view. At 09h00 all loaded their luggage on the coach and travelled through the Tuscan Hills to Pisa, where they enjoyed lunch, before climbing more stairs up the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa/Torre di Pisa. After a visit to the adjacent Basilica, they continued along the Italian Riviera, arriving in the tranquil marina town of La Spezia in the late afternoon. Their guide was waiting for them at the hotel reception and together they enjoyed a short orientation walk, which included shopping at a local supermarket for their beach picnic with Italian flair on tomorrow's excursion. Dinner tonight was wonderful and they all thoroughly enjoyed being able to choose their own pizzas from the menu at a restaurant close to the hotel! PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: " We started off the day once again with a scrumptious breakfast. We then took a short walk to the Cupola and started the ascent up the 463 steps to get to the top, through a very narrow passage with a steep spiral staircase. There was much huffing and puffing, but we all made it to the top. Emma and Grace kept on pausing in front of the little openings for breaths of fresh air! Viewing the frescoes of 'hell' on the Cupola ceiling from close up was quite scary and this depiction of hell definitely looks very threatening! Once at the top we all enjoyed talking photos of the magnificent Florentine view and the girls couldn't believe that they were higher that Giotto's tower. The climb down the Cupola resulted in many wobbly knees! We then made our way back to the hotel to freshen up, before boarding the bus for Pisa. It was rather a quiet journey, with most taking power naps to preserve their energy to go up the leaning tower. Once in Pisa we grabbed a quick lunch before climbing the 294 shallow, well worn steps to get up the tower and after the climb we had a brief walk through Pisa's cathedral which was included in our ticket. It has a very beautiful ornate, gold leaf coffered ceiling and our guide told us many interesting facts and apparently the leaning tower has now been successfully stabilised at 4 degrees. We then continued on to La Spezia, passing through Carrera and we saw the quarry where the white marble that Michaelangelo used to create his David came from. At La Spezia we quickly checked into our lovely hotel and went on a short orientation tour with our guide, seeing many Art Deco buildings, before heading to a fabulous restaurant for dinner, where everyone got to choose a pizza off the menu!"
THURSDAY 20 JUNE AN INCREDIBLE DAY ON THE CINQUE TERRE
Happy birthday to Oratile Sukazi! What a glorious day they spent on the Cinque Terre, a series of coastal medieval fishing villages on the Ligurian Sea, comprising Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. In the company of a local guide, they used the train to commute and the scenery was breath-taking, characterized by terraced vineyards, beautiful coves and pastel-hued houses clinging precariously to rock promontories, with colourful boats bobbing in the harbour below! A picnic lunch was organized on the beach at Monterosso al Mare, which boasts a wide sandy beach and all enjoyed relaxing and frolicking in the warm, turquoise waters. In the late afternoon they returned to La Spezia, having experienced an unbelievably special day! They leave for la belle France tomorrow and their final dinner in Italy tonight is guaranteed to be special - buon appetito! PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: "This morning the teachers had an early breakfast in order to sneak off to the supermarket to buy the surprise picnic goodies. Our guide met us at the hotel at 09h00 and we took the train to explore the Cinque Terre coastline. Our first stop was at Manarola, where we sang happy birthday to Oratile on the pier in true South African style! She was so touched to receive a birthday present which her parents had sent all the way from South Africa - awesome! Our second stop was Vernazza where we could see the colourful houses that hug the cliff of the coastline and where we spotted some purple jellyfish in the bay. The girls took many photos of the beautiful views and of course many selfies. Our final stop was at Monterosso where our guide organised an excellent discount price on a private beach with individual lounge chairs and umbrellas! The girls were treated to a ‘surprise picnic lunch’ and all enjoyed a swim in the cool waters. We returned via train to La Spezia and the girls were then given some free time to explore the area around the hotel before dinner. Our young ladies have all been so very well behaved and the concierge is really impressed with our group."
FRIDAY 21 JUNE ONWARD TO 'LA BELLE FRANCE'
This morning everyone said their final farewell to Italy as they hopped on board the coach bound for the French Riviera/la Côte d’Azur, passing through some spectacular scenery en route. Upon arrival in Monaco they were met by their local guide, who introduced them to the many gems of this principality, before escorting them through the magnificent and opulent State Apartments of the Royal Palace, which dates back to the 13th century. After some free time to ‘souvenir shop’, they continued on to Nice, dubbed the ‘Queen of the Riviera’, where they settled in to their hotel, before enjoying dinner and exploring locally. Bienvenue en France! PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: “We started the day rather early to get onto the bus by 8.00 as we had 3 hour journey to Nice via Monaco. Everyone had good power naps catching up on sleep and building up some reserve energy for the rest of the tour. We arrived in Monaco at lunch time and everyone grabbed a quick sandwich - Klara and Oratile said it was the best sandwich they had ever eaten and a wonderful welcome to France with its yummy fresh baked bread! We went on a tour of the Princes’ Palace using audio-guides and we were all amazed to see the opulence of the rooms, with the carpeted walls that matched all the other furnishings in each room! We then has some free time to explore Monaco, before getting back on the bus to head to the final destination of the day, Nice. After checked in at the hotel, we all had some time to settle into their lovely spacious rooms and dinner was delicious – pizzas and tirumisu. Today is France’s ‘day of music’, so the students enjoyed listening to some live music ...while the chaperones watched at a safe distance!"
SATURDAY 22 JUNE A WONDERFUL DAY IN NICE!
Such glorious weather (as you will see in all the photos) and what a wonderful day they all had in Nice! Their morning included wandering through Vieux Nice, enjoying the vibrant open market at the Marché Cours Saléya , before sampling several of the flavours of ice cream on offer at Fenocchio’s, a Nice institution which serves the best in the business! Some couldn’t resist the name brand shops along Avenue JeanMédecin, whilst others enjoyed frolicking in the warm azure blue waters of the Mediterranean. After lunch they travelled by coach to visit the Matisse and Chagall Museums, which showcase their incredible work and contribution to Art. Their final dinner on the idyllic Côte d’Azur will be in the restaurant Koudou on the Promenade des Anglais, lined with its legendary beaches & palm trees and this will be a memory all will hold dear forever, as they soak up the ambience of the French Riviera with all their friends and amazing chaperones! Onward to Paris tomorrow morning ... PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: "Our breakfast was in a lovely setting this morning, with all the yummy treats one could desire for a breakfast in France. We took a walk along the promenade in the morning and landed up at the food and flower market, where the girls were treated to the beautiful sights and aromas of Nice and many bought some delicious fresh fruit and fruit juice. We then enjoyed some free time and most made their way to the pebble beach of Nice to enjoy a swim in the warm waters. We then went to Fenocchio’s to choose some of the 104 flavours of ice-cream on offer – delicious!. After freshening up at the hotel we jumped on board our coach and our first stop was the Matisse museum, which was an interesting introduction to Fauvism, which we will see more of in Paris. The second museum we visited was the Chagall museum and he was the only artist to have a museum made for himself before he passed away. Then back on the bus to the hotel and all were excited for the farewell dinner in Nice, and the food certainly did not disappoint – the dinner and restaurant were fabulous!"
SUNDAY 23 JUNE SAFE ARRIVAL IN PARIS - MONTPARNASSE TOWER + 'LES ILLUMINATIONS'!
Although they were sad to say farewell to glorious Nice, all were excited to fly to their final destination, Paris! At midday they arrived at Orly airport, where their guide was waiting to greet them and en route to their hotel, they visited the impressive 210m high Montparnasse Tower. Within 38 seconds they were whisked by Europe’s fastest elevator to the roof terrace on the 56th floor, from where they had a spectacular and unrivalled view over Paris.They then checked in to their hotel, where they had time to relax and freshen up, before enjoying dinner at a restaurant within close proximity. At 20h00 their coach arrived for their guided tour of Paris by night and at 22h00 they stood mesmerized under a sparkling Eiffel Tower, before returning to the hotel. PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES: "We were up bright and early for breakfast before making our way by coach to the airport. ready to get onto the bus on time to fly to Paris. It was a short flight before landing in the ‘city of love’! We visited the Montparnasse Tower and going up 56 floors made everyone's ears pop – they timed it and yes, it takes 39 seconds to go up to the top! Once at the top we had the most spectacular 360° view of Paris and the girls had lots of fun identifying all the important landmarks they could see. Onto the hotel to check in and explore the district which was rather quiet being a Sunday and they also enjoyed playing some table tennis and foosball which are in the hotel lobby. We had a delicious dinner at a restaurant just around the corner from the hotel, before climbing back onto the bus for a Paris by night tour. The guide was very informative and we got to see the Eiffel tower illuminated – so beautiful! Off to bed for a good night's rest before a busy day sight-seeing in Paris tomorrow."
MONDAY 24 JUNE WHAT AN AMAZING AND FULL DAY IN PARIS!
After a lovely breakfast, they travelled by metro to the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a striking contemporary building which features cutting edge art. They then enjoyed free time on the world’s most famous & elegant boulevard, l’Avenue des Champs Elysées, which commences at the Place de la Concorde and culminates at the Arc de Triomphe. They had access tickets to the summit and the magnificent view from the top justified the energy of climbing 234 steps! At 15h00 they were divided into 2 groups and, with a guide, they visited the Musée du Louvre, where they appreciated some incredible works of art, including the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory & Venus de Milo. Thereafter they made their way by metro to the oldest district in Paris – Montmartre, where they visited the Sacré CoeurBasilica, before spending time on the Place du Tertre, which is known for its local artwork. Dinner was served in a popular restaurant on the square, Restaurant Au Cadet de Gascogne, and all thoroughly enjoyed the evening. PS UPDATE FROM THE CHAPERONES : “This morning we enjoyed a very Parisian breakfast including crepes in a serene dining room, after which we had our first metro experience - the girls did really well! We arrived at Foundation Louis Vuitton which is an ultra-modern contemporary museum and the girls enjoyed interacting with the art pieces. We then headed to the Champs Elysees and walked up the spiral steps of the Arc de Triomphe to have another spectacular view of Paris and after this the girls enjoyed some shopping time in all the designer stores! We then made our way to the Louvre museum which was bustling and the girls were all very excited to see the Mona Lisa! We were treated to a ride in the funicular to get up to the Sacre Coure Basilica and it was very special, as there was a mass in session when we visited the interior. Dinner was wonderful and afterwards the girls had some free time to have their portraits drawn by artists on the Place du Tertre – such a wonderful first full day in Paris!”
TUESDAY 25 JUNE MUSEE D'ORSAY, NOTRE DAME, LATIN QUARTER + FINAL DINNER!
This morning they made their way on the RER to the Musée d’Orsay which displays some of the world’s finest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. With the aid of audio-guides, they marveled at masterpieces by Delacroix, Manet, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin & Lautrec, amongst many others. Thereafter they crossed over the Seine and strolled through the Jardin des Tuileries before making their way alongside the river to l’Ile de la Cité. Here you will view the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame and visit La Sainte Chapelle, a royal medieval Gothic chapel, which boasts a huge expanse of exquisite stained glass. Then, in the company of a local guide, you enjoyed wandering through the Latin Quarter and at 16h00 they visited the Musée Rodin. Dinner tonight will be enjoyed at the restaurant Le Beaujolais which is close to the Eiffel Tower and their final evening in la belle France is guaranteed to be special! P S NOTE FROM CHAPERONES: "After breakfast we took a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens en route to the D'Orsay museum, where the girls split into their groups of three and enjoyed their individual experiences whether it be impressionism or post-impressionism and many of these works are studied in visual art and design theory. From here we did a walking tour of the Ile Cite and they had a nice long lunch break in the Latin Quarter. We walked past the Notre Dame Cathedral to see the extent of the fire damage and from here went to the famous Shakespeare and Company book store, where the girls really enjoyed spotting their favourite novels and some even added to their book collection! After this short but refreshing break we had an informative guided tour of the Rodin Museum and its gardens. We had a short rest for our weary feet before heading back to the metro to enjoy our 'last supper' in Paris right by the Eiffel Tower and after this we headed to the Champs de Mars to watch the sparking lights go off at the Eiffel tower on the hour – what a fitting farewell to Paris!" NB NOTE FROM ME! I am travelling to Paris tonight with a group of 40 students, so will not be able to load the chaperone update or photos until tomorrow. I do sincerely hope to be able to meet up with the group in Paris tomorrow afternoon, even if only briefly … they have had the most wonderful tour and would love to see them!
WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE HOMEWARD BOUND!
Today marks the final day of their tour and, by all accounts, everyone has had the most wonderful experience. After yet another delicious breakfast, they packed their bags and left them in the bagagerie, before making their way to the Georges Pompidou Centre, a landmark of contemporary Paris and home to the National Museum of Modern Art - they really enjoyed this visit. They then had some lunch before continuing on to the Orangerie and they were in awe of this intimate gallery which showcases superb impressionist paintings, including Claude Monet's Nymphéas – the Water Lilies. Their final visit was to Galéries Lafayette, a world-renowned department store which was built in 1912 and is now classified as an historic monument, boasting a beautiful stained-glass roof dome & an Art Nouveau staircase. Here they purchased some last-minute souvenirs, before returning to the hotel, where all freshened up and travelled by coach to Roissy Charles de Gaulle for their flight toAfrique du Sud on AF 990. I am sure there is no need to remind excited parents that the group scheduled to arrive at O R Tambo tomorrow, Thursday 27 June at 09h55 and I can only imagine all the excitement at the airport! To act ‘in loco parentis’ is no mean task and the ultimate success of any tour depends largely on the chaperones. Mrs Jacqui Greenberg, Mrs Samantha Kluge and Mrs Elaine de Villiers deserve the highest praise and immense gratitude for ensuring that your precious daughters were well cared for, happy and safe at all times. They managed to find the perfect balance between firm discipline along with an enormous sense of fun ~ their knowledge, dedication, energy and enthusiasm have been inspirational and your children have certainly been very privileged to have travelled with them! The girls’ behaviour has been impeccable and they have been superb ambassadors for Pretoria High School for Girls and for Personal Touch School Tours – bravo! The girls are all obviously looking forward to seeing family and friends back home and sharing all their memories and as parents, you can rest firm in the knowledge that you have afforded your children the most wonderful opportunity. They are bound to be exhausted and the many wonderful anecdotes may not immediately be forthcoming, but they are sure to reveal themselves in the days, months and even years to come! It has once again been my privilege & pleasure to have orchestrated my 8th Art Tour for Pretoria High School for Girls and it remains for me to say grazie/merci and arrivederci/au revoir!!